Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Yovanna’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Yovanna’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit; uniform and freely flowering habit; daisy-type inflorescences with white-colored ray florets; and natural season flowering about September 20 th  in the Northern Hemisphere.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Yovanna’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium, commercially grown as a perennial garden Chrysanthemum, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Yovanna’.

The objective of the breeding program is to create new perennial garden-type Chrysanthemum cultivars having uniformly rounded plant habit, inflorescences with desirable inflorescence forms, attractive floret colors and good garden performance.

The new Chrysanthemum originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in February, 2001, in Salinas, Calif. of Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Pidoul’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,218, as the female, or seed, parent with Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Stephanie’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,445, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Alva, Fla. in November, 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by vegetative cuttings was first conducted in a controlled greenhouse environment in Alva, Fla. in January, 2003. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Yovanna’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Yovanna’ as a new and distinct garden Chrysanthemum cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant         habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit.     -   3. Uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Daisy-type inflorescences.     -   5. White-colored ray florets.     -   6. Natural season flowering occurs about September 20^(th) in         the Northern Hemisphere.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the female parent, ‘Pidoul’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were slightly smaller than         plants of ‘Pidoul’.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had larger inflorescences         than plants of ‘Pidoul’.     -   3. Plants of-the new Chrysanthemum flowered ten to twelve days         earlier than plants of ‘Pidoul’ when grown under natural season         conditions.     -   4. Inflorescences of plants of the new Chrysanthemum were         longer-lasting than inflorescences of plants of ‘Pidoul’.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the male parent, ‘Stephanie’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were larger and more rounded         than plants of ‘Stephanie’.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had smaller inflorescences         than plants of ‘Stephanie’.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered more uniformly than         plants of ‘Stephanie’.     -   4. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered four to five days         later than plants of ‘Stephanie’ when grown under natural season         conditions.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Tracy’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,609. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of ‘Tracy’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were smaller and more rounded         than plants of ‘Tracy’.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered more uniformly than         plants of ‘Tracy’.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had slightly smaller         inflorescences with more ray florets than plants of ‘Tracy’.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Jason’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,609. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of ‘Jason’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were smaller and more rounded         than plants of ‘Jason’.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were stronger than plants of         ‘Jason’.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had smaller inflorescences         with more ray florets than plants of ‘Jason’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Chrysanthemum. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Chrysanthemum.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Yovanna’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘Yovanna’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Alva, Fla. during the late spring and summer in a polycarbonate-covered greenhouse and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial garden Chrysanthemum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 32° C. and night temperatures averaged 21° C. Plants were grown in 15-containers under short day/long night conditions. Plants were ten weeks from planting when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Yovanna’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Pidoul’,             disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,218.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Chrysanthemum×morifolium             ‘Stephanie’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,445. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About four days at temperatures of             about 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About ten to twelve             days at temperatures of about 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance.—Perennial daisy-type garden Chrysanthemum. Stems             upright and outwardly spreading giving a uniformly mounded             appearance to the plant. Freely branching habit, about seven             lateral branches each with multiple secondary branches;             pinching is not required; dense and full plant habit. Strong             and vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 19 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 38 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 17 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Internode length: About 9 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Pubescent; longitudinally ridged. Color: Close to 146A.         -   Leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About             5.5 cm. Width: About 4 cm. Apex: Cuspidate. Base: Attenuate.             Margin: Palmately lobed, sinuses between lateral lobes             mostly parallel. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescence; veins prominent on lower surface. Color:             Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface: Close             to 147A; venation, close to 147B. Developing and fully             expanded foliage, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation,             close to 147B. Petiole: Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter:             About 2 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 147B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescence form with elliptic to             slightly obovate-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne on             terminals above foliage. Disc and ray florets arranged             acropetally on a capitulum. Inflorescences fragrant,             pungent.         -   Flowering response.—Under natural season conditions, plants             flower about September 20^(th) in the Northern Hemisphere.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color             and substance for about 3.5 weeks in an outdoor nursery.             Inflorescences persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—About 35 to 36 inflorescences             develop per lateral branch.         -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About             1.1 cm. Shape: Oblate. Color: Close to 157B.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 4.5 cm. Depth (height):             About 1 cm. Disc diameter: About 1.2 cm. Receptacle             diameter: About 1.8 cm. Receptacle height: About 5 mm.             Receptacle color: Close to 147A to 147B.         -   Ray florets.—Shape: Elliptic to slightly obovate.             Orientation: Initially upright, then about 90° from             vertical; eventually apices reflexing. Aspect: Initially             incurved, then mostly flat. Length: About 2 cm to 2.2 cm.             Width: About 8 mm. Apex: Emarginate. Base: Acute. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             velvety; longitudinally ribbed. Number of ray florets per             inflorescence: About 38 arranged in about three to four             whorls. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 155A.             When opening, lower surface: Close to 155B. Fully opened,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155D.         -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular, elongated. Length: About 5 mm.             Diameter: About 1 mm. Number of disc florets per             inflorescence: About 160. Color, immature: Apex: Close to             12A. Mid-section: Close to 145B. Base: Close to 145D. Color,             mature: Apex: Close to 12B. Mid-section: Close to 145B.             Base: Close to 145D.         -   Phyllaries.—Number of phyllaries per inflorescence: About 15             arranged in about three whorls. Length: About 7 mm. Width:             About 2 mm. Shape: Narrowly elliptical. Apex: Acute. Base:             Truncate. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture,             lower surface: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 146A.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 5.2 cm. Length,             fourth peduncle: About 6.4 cm. Diameter, terminal peduncle:             About 1.5 mm. Angle: Mostly upright to 30° to 45° from             vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close             to 147B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: About five             per floret. Filament length: About 2 mm. Filament color:             Close to 13B. Anther length: About 2.5 mm. Anther shape:             Oblong. Anther color: Close to 14A. Pollen amount: Scarce.             Pollen color: Close to 14A. Gynoecium: Pistil length: About             6 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to 12B.             Style length: About 4 mm. Style color: Close to 145B. Ovary             color: Close to 157D.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Chrysanthemums has not been observed on plants grown under     commercial conditions. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have     demonstrated excellent garden performance and will overwinter in     USDA Zones 5 and higher; plants of the new Chrysanthemum have been     observed to tolerate high temperature of about 38° C. 

1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Yovanna’ as illustrated and described. 